The present invention relates generally to contact blocks (auxiliary contacts), overload relays, and other electronic control devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to actuation of multiple electronic control devices by a single mechanical force or actuation, e.g., a mechanical button.
Existing electronic control devices, such as contactors and overload relays, may be engaged or disengaged by electrical or mechanical actuators. Unfortunately, the actuators typically have different actuation distances. For example, a mechanically-actuated contact block may have an actuation distance of 4 mm, while a mechanically-actuated overload relay may have an actuation distance of 11 mm. Accordingly, an existing mechanical actuator may provide a single actuation distance of 4 mm, which is sufficient for the contact block but insufficient for the overload relay. Thus, the existing actuator is incapable of actuating more than one electronic control device, where the actuation distances are different from one another.
For these reasons, a technique is needed for actuating multiple devices having different distances of actuation.